verb | noun
taptap1 /tæp/ ●●○ S3 W3 verb (tapped, tapping) 1
hit lightly [intransitive, transitive] to hit your fingers, foot, or something you can hold lightly on something, for example to get someone’s attention, because you are nervous, when you listen to music, etc. SYN rap: tap on I tapped on the window.tap something on/against etc. something Ted nervously tapped his fingers on the desk. She kept tapping her pencil on the desk. They tapped their glasses together and drank.tap somebody on the arm/shoulder etc. One of the students tapped Mia on the shoulder. John was tapping his feet to the music.► see thesaurus at hit12ENERGY/MONEY [transitive] (also tap into) to use or take what is needed from something such as an energy supply or amount of money: The company tapped pension funds to pay its debts.3IDEAS [transitive] (also tap into) to make as much use as possible of the ideas, experience, knowledge, etc. that a group of people has: He has tapped into people’s anxieties about the future.4TELEPHONE [transitive] to listen secretly to someone’s telephone by using a special piece of electronic equipment: Investigators had tapped the phone line.5CHOOSE somebody [transitive] to choose someone to do something, especially to have an important job: Williams is expected to be tapped as the new director of operations.6TREE [transitive] to get liquid from the trunk of a tree by making a hole in it[Origin: (1) 1100–1200 Old French taper to hit with the flat part of the hand]tap something ↔ in phrasal verb to hit or kick a ball into a hole or goal from a short distance away, in sports such as golf or soccertap somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb1to hit something lightly, especially with your fingers or foot, to make a sound: He tapped out the rhythm.2to write something with a typewriter or computer: She tapped out a memo.3informal to use all of the money or energy that someone or something has: Our ski trip to Colorado tapped me out. → see also tapped out verb | noun
taptap2 ●●○ noun 1WATER/GAS [countable] a piece of equipment for controlling the flow of water, gas, etc. from a pipe or container: a drink of water from the tapturn on/off the tap She turned off the tap.2SOFT HIT [countable] an act of hitting something lightly, especially to get someone’s attention SYN pat: tap at/on Rita felt a tap on her shoulder.3on tap a)beer that is on tap comes from a barrel, rather than from a bottle or can b)informal something that is on tap is ready to use when you need it: Plenty of good food will be on tap at the fair.4SOUND [countable] a sound of something hitting something else lightly: There was a tap at the door.5TELEPHONE [countable] an act of secretly listening to someone’s telephone, using electronic equipment: The FBI had put a tap on his phone line.6BARREL [countable] a specially shaped object used for letting liquid out of a barrel, especially beer7DANCING [uncountable] (also tap dancing) dancing in which you wear special shoes with pieces of metal on the bottom, which make a loud sound on the floor as you move: tap shoes ballet, tap, and modern classes8TUNE taps [uncountable] a song or tune played on the bugle at night in an army camp, and at military funerals